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Lincoln Assassination Letter

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:NA
Lincoln Assassination Letter
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Metropolitan Police Superintendent A.C. Richards, in attendance at Ford’s Theater the night President Lincoln was assassinated, writes to Louis Weichmann, chief prosecution witness at the assassination conspirators' trial, in a letter dated 24 December 1900. Richards, who was also involved in the search for the conspirators, reviews his account of events for Weichmann's book on the assassination. Richards states, ''…The fact is well and certainly known that Booth was the assassin of Lincoln before 12 o'clock midnight of the day of the assassination…[actress] Laura Keene had stated before that hour that while she did not know who had shot the President but that the man who jumped from the President's box on the night was J Wilkes Booth…there seemed to be a peculiar hesitancy on the part of the theatre people…to disclose information…yet Miss Keene did not hesitate to state as above indicated. It was information that I had that Booth had been an associate of John Surratt's for a few weeks prior to the assassination that led me to visit Mrs. Surratt's house soon after midnight on that night…'' Signed, ''A.C. Richards''. Mary Surratt was hanged for her part in the conspiracy. Minor smudging to 7.75'' x 9.75'' single page letter, written front and verso. Overall very good.